Engine starter



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ENGINE STARTER 2 She'ts-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 15, 1946 IH all' Y mvENroRsJl/L/l/ H. BULL ES lo/1N s. A A/ToN/o/s wenn' M. cm ralf/f1.0

' ATTORNE y De@ Z7 194@ J. H. BQLLEQ 5TM, 3949355@ ENGINE STARTER 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filsd Feb. 13, 1945 ATTORNEY/f Patented Dec. 27, 1949ENGINE STARTER Julius n. neues, John n. Antonius, ma mlm-t M.Critchfleld, Anderson, Ind., asslgnors to General Motors Corporation,Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Delaware Application February 13, 1946. Serial No.647,388

14 claims. 1

Thisl invention relates to apparatus for starting an internal combustionengine, and particularly an airplane engine.

An object of the invention is to provide a starter unit adapted to bemounted on the accessory gear housing of the engine and having a pinionfor engagement with one of the accessory driving gears operated by theengine and having means for excluding entrance of foreign matter intothe housing while providing for the shifting of the pinion by meanslocated outside the housing. In the disclosed embodiment of theinvention, this object is accomplished by the combination with theaccessory housing having an opening through which the pinion and themechanism connecting it with the starting motor shaft is passed when thestarter unit is assembled with the housing, of a plate provided by thestarter unit v4for supporting the starting motor and' for covering theopening in the housing to which the plate'is secured, a support for thepinion carried by the engine frame to which the housing is attached, andmeans for shifting the pinion and including a cylindrical memberextending through the plate and a lever supported by the motor foroperating the cylindrical member and for controlling the motor switch.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention isclearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are side and end views, respectively, of an engine starterembodying the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the -engine starter and aportion of the flywheel housing to which the engine starter frame isattached, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing how it is possible to close thestarting motor switch in case of abutment of the pinion teeth with theflywheel gear teeth.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the pinion in mesh with theywheel gear.

Fig. rI is a-longitudinal, sectional view of the starter switch taken online I-l on Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a section showing a modified arrangement of the clutch housingand gear supported thereby.

The starting motor comprises a field trame I0 and bearing plates II andI2 providing bearings I3 and I4, respectively, for supporting anarmature shaft I5 carrying an armature I6 and a commutator I1. Thebrushes which bear on the commutator and the field coils and pole pieceswhich are located around the armature are not shown, but it will beunderstood that these are connected in series and that one end of theseries connection is grounded on the frame and the other is connectedwith a switch contact 20, Fig. 7, mounted on the frame I0. A switchhousing 2l, secured to the frame, insulatingly supports the other switchcontact and terminal member 22 to which a wire is connected leading to astorage battery. The movable switch contact 23 is insulatingly supportedby a rod 24 attached to a push button 25 guided by the switch housing2l. A spring 26 locates the contact 23 normally out of engagement withthe contacts 20 and 22. The switch is actuated by a lever 26 pivotedupon a screw 2l fastened to the frame I 0 and carrying an adjustablescrew 28 secured by a lock nut 29. The head of screw 28 is so located asto engage the switch button 25 when the lever is moved to the position26', Figs. 5 and 7. Lever 26 is actuated by a. rod, not shown,connectable with the lever 26 through a hole 30 therein, said rodterminating in a handle or pedal V(not shown) conveniently located foroperation by the driver of the vehicle. It will be understood that thespecific form of switch is not material and that disclosed is merely asuitable example.

The armature shaft I5 passes through a shaft seal 3| provided by theplate I2 and is connected with a gear 32 meshing with a gear 33 whosehub provides the cam member 34 of a one-way clutch. Gear 32 is attachedto shaft I5 by a key 32a and is retained by a nut 32h. Member 34provides notches 35 receiving clutch rollers 36 located between surfaces3'I of the notches 35 and a cylindrical clutch-driven member 38. Therollers 36 are urged into the narrower parts of the notches 35 bysprings 33 which maintain plungers 46 in engagement with the rollers 36.The parts of the clutch are maintained in assembled relation by plates4I and 42 `attached by screws 43 to the member 34 and by a ring 44permanently attached to the member 34 and having a central opening inalignment with a hole 45 in plate I2, through which the tubularextension 46 of the driven clutch member 38 extends.

Clutch 4member 38 is permanently attached to a pinion 5I) which mesheswith a gear 5I connected with the engine to be started, the hub 52 ofpinion 50 being permanently brazed to the part 38. Hub 52 carriesbearing bushings 53 which are slidable along a rod or stub shaft 54 V,with 'the here' sa ilxed to the engine frame F to which an accessorygear housing IB is attached. Shaft B4 is located in alignment with acylindrical bore Il of the housing 55 which receives and locates acylindrical flange 51 provided by the plate I2 which is attached to theaccessory housing 55 by screws 58. Thus the accessory housing 55supports the plate I2 and the electric starting motor; and the engineframe F supports the pinion B and the mechanism for connecting it withthe motor shaft gear 32.

The tubular extension or sleeve 46 of the driven clutch member 38 housescups 60 and 6|. Discs 62 and 63 are located and spaced by a snap ring I4and springs 66 and 6l confined under compression, respectively, by thecup 60 and disc 62 and by the disc 83 and cup Bi, said cup 60 beingretained by a snap ring 68.

The function of spring 6l is to demesh the pinion 50 from gear 5| and tomaintain the pinion in the demeshed position shown in Fig. 3. Thefunction of spring 66 is to permit closing of .the starter switch incase the teeth of the pinion 50 abut end-to-end on the teeth of the gear5i. When gear tooth abutment occurs in the attempt to mesh the pinionwith the gear by movement of the lever 26 toward position 26' (Fig. 5),motion of the sleeve 46 will be arrested but the lever 26 can be movedinto position for closing the starter switch since the cup Sil cantravel toward the right and compress the spring 06, as shown in Fig. 5.The motor will operate to turn the pinion to relieve gear toothabutment. As soon as gear tooth abutment is relieved, the pinion 5G willbe moved quickly by the spring 86 into full engagement with the gear 5i,as shown in Fig. 6. During this movement, the gear 33 moves axiallyalong the gear 32 while remaining in mesh therewith and spring B'l iscompressed while spring 66 expands, spring 66 being stronger than spring67. When the engine becomes selfoperative, and tends to rotate thepinion 50 faster than it can be rotated by the electric motor, theclutch member 38 will override the clutch member 34. When the startingoperation is completed, the driver releases the lever 3D so that spring6l is free to demesh the pinion 5G and return the parts to their normalpositions shown in Fig. 3. n

As stated before, the bore 56 of the housing ills located concentricallywith respect to the rod 54. The ange 57 and the hole 45 in the plate l2are in concentric relation. Therefore,

. the hole 46 will be concentric with the rod 541. Sleeve 46 of theclutch part 38 being concentric with the pinion bearings 53, will beconcentric yHole d5 is slightly larger than sleeve 46 and entrance ofdirt around the sleeve 4B intothe housing 55 is prevented by a leatherwasher l0 attached to plate i2 bearing against the sleeve 45. Spring 6lurges the ring 44 against the washer 10, hencethelatter serves as abraisev to bring the pinion 50 quicklyto a' stop after the lever 26'isreleased. In the demeshed position of the pinion 50 there is clearancebetween hub 52 and left bearing bushing' 53 of pinion 5D and cup 8l sothat spring 61 is eiective to urge plate combination of a housing,having an opening, a'

il 4l. The gear 33 is brazed or otherwise secured to this hub and isadapted to mesh with and be driven by the pinion 32 just as in thedevice disclosed in Fig. 3.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed,constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichfollow:

What is claimed is as follows:

1. Engine starting apparatus comprising the combination of a housinghaving an opening, a plate attached to the housing and covering theopening, an electric motor supported by the plate and having an armatureshaft, a gear fixed to the armature shaft, a rod within the housingparallel to the armature shaft, means slidably supported by the rod forconnecting the armature shaft gear with the engine to be started andincluding a gear meshing with the armature shaft gear and a pinionconnected with the second gear and axially movable into mesh with a gearin the housing connected with the engine, a tubular, pinion-shiftingmember extending from the hub of the pinion through an opening in theplate in alignment with the rod and providing on its interior two springabutments intermediate its ends, one facing the rod and the other awayfrom the rod toward the outer end of the member, a spring locatedbetween the rod and the abutment facing the rod for demeshing thepinion, an element slidable within the member at the end thereof remotefrom the pinion, a spring located between the element and the secondmentioned abutment, a motor control switch, and means for operating theswitch and the element whereby, in case of arresting movement of themember due to gear tooth abutment, the second spring will yield topermit closing the motor switch.

2. Engine starting apparatus comprising the combination of a housinghaving an opening, a. plate attached to the housing and covering theopening, an electric motor supported by the plate and having an armatureshaft, a gear fixed to the armature shaft, a rodwithin the housingparallel to the armature shaft, means slidably running clutchdriven-part attached to the pinion, an overrunning clutch driving-partsurrounding the driven part, and a gear'attached to the driving-part andmeshing.' with the armature shaft gear, a pinion shifting memberextending from the driven-partof the Vclutch through an opening in theplate to the exterior of the housing, a motor control switch, and meansfor operating the member and the switch.

3. Engine starting apparatus comprising the plate attached to thehousing and covering the opening, van electric-motor supported by thelplate and having an armature shaft, a gear ilxed to the armature shaft,a rod within the housing parallel 1 to the armature shaft, meansslidably supported by the rod for connecting the armature shaft; gear 44against washer 10 and the latter againstv the .D18-ten.

Inthe arrangement shown in Fig. 8, the gear 33 Vis not Apositionedon-theputer periphery of the driving member of the clutch as in'Fig. 3,

but instead,`.the ring 5 4 which is permanently attached to the drivenmember 34v has 'a hub 15 projecting therefrom and lsurrounding thesleeve with the engineto be started and including a pinion journaled onthe rod, an overrunning clutch driven-part vattached to the pinion, anoverrun-- ning clutch driving-part surrounding the ldriven- A part, anda gear attached to the driving-part and driven-part of the clutchthrough an opening. in'

meshing with the armature shaft gear, a tubular pinion vshifting memberextending from the the plate in alignment with the rod to the exteriorpfthe housing. said member providing a spring engaging abutment on itsinterior, a spring located between the rod and the abutment fordemeshing the pinion, a motor control switch, and means for operatingthe member and the switch.

4. Engine starting apparatus comprising. the combination of a housinghaving an opening, a plate attached to the housing and covering theopening, an electric motor supported by the plate and having an armatureshaft, a gear fixed to the armature shaft, a rod Within the housingparallel to the armature shaft, means slidably supported by the rod forconnecting the armature shaft gear with the engine to be started andincluding a pinion journaled on the rod, an overrunning clutchdriven-part attached to the pinion, an overrunning clutch driving-partsurrounding the driven-part, and a gear attached to the driving-part andmeshing with the armature shaft gear, a tubular pinion shifting memberextending from the driven-part of the clutch through an opening in theplate inalignment with the rod to the exterior of the housing, saidmember providing on its interior two spring abutments intermediate itsends, one facing the rod and the other away from the rod twoard theouter end of the member, a spring located between the rod and theabutment facing the rod for demeshing the pinion, an element slidablewithin the member at the end thereof remote from the pinion, a springlocated between the element and the second mentioned abutment, a motorcontrol switch, and means for operating the switch and the elementwhereby, in case of arresting movement of the member due to gear toothabutment, the second spring will yield to permit closing the motorswitch.

5. Engine starting apparatus comprising the combination of a housinghaving an opening, a plate attached to the housing and covering theopening, an electric motor supported by the plate and having an armatureshaft, a gear fixed to the armature shaft. a rod within the housingparallel to the armature shaft, means slidably supported by the rod forconnecting the armature shaft gear with the engine to be started andincluding a pinion journaled on the rod, an overrunning clutchdriven-part attached to the pinion, an overrunning clutch driving-partsurrounding the drivenpart, and a gear attached to the driving-part andmeshing with the armature shaft gear, a tubular pinion shifting memberextending from the driven-part of the clutch through an opening in theplate in alignment with the rod to the exterior of the housing, saidmember having'intermediate its ends an internal annular groove, a snapring received by the groove and providing two abutments, two discswithin the member and respectively in engagement with the abutments, twocup-elements within the member at opposite ends thereof, two helicalsprings within the member and located, respectively, each between a discand a cup-element, the rod retaining the cupelement adjacent thereto.means at the outer end of the member for retaining the othercup-element, a motor control switch, and means for operating the switchand the element whereby, in case of arresting movement of the member dueto gear tooth abutment, the second spring will yield to permit closingthe motor switch.

6. Engine starting apparatus comprising the combination of a housinghaving an opening, a plate attached to the housing and covering theopening, an electric motor supported by the plate and having an armatureshaft, a gear lfixed to the armature shaft, a rod within the housingparallel to the armature shaft, a vpinion slidable upon the rod intomesh with a gear of the engine to be started, a tubular member supportedby the pinion in axial alignment therewith, said Iplate having anopening in alignment with the rod through which the tubular memberextends, means movable with the member for connecting the tubular memberwith the armature shaft gear, la washer attached to the plate andlocated between the plate and said means and engageable with said memberto exclude entrance of dirt into the housing land serving as a brakewhen engaged by said means, la spring located within the niember :andapplying Ibetween the rod and the member a force for demeshing thepinion and for causing said means to engage the washer, a motor controlswitch, and means for operating the switch and the member.

'7. An engine starter drive for use with an electric motor having anarmature shaft and a gear supported thereby and for use with an enginehaving ,a gear connected with its crank shaft and a rod located parallelto the axis of the gear, said drive comprising the combination of a`pinion slidable on said rod into and out of mesh with the engine gear,a tubular member attached to the pinion and surrounding the rod andadapted to receive the application of a pinion meshing force, a springwithin the member and adapted to exert a force between the member |androd to demesh the pinion, and means supported by the member fortransmitting motion from the electric motor to the pinion, said meansincluding a gear meshing with the armature shaft gear and an overrunningclu'tch between said gear and pinion.

8. An engine starter drive for use with an electric motor having :anarmature shaft and a gear supported thereby and for use with an enginehaving a gear connected with its crank shaft land a rod located parallelto the axis of the gear, said drive comprising the combination of a.pinion slidable on said rod into and out of mesh with the engine gear,a tubular member attached to the pinion and surrounding the rod andadapted to receive the application of a pinion meshing force, a springwithin the member and adapted to exert :a force between the member androd to demesh the pini-on, and means supported by the member fortransmitting motion from the Velectric motor to the pinion and includinga one-way clutch driven r :ember provided by the tubular member, aone-way clutch driving member surrounding the driven member andsupported -by the tubular member and a gear meshing with the armatureshaft gear and surrounding the clutch driving member and attachedthereto.

9. An engine starter drive for use with an electric motor having anarmature shaft and a gear supported thereby Aand for use with an enginehaving a gear connected with its crank shaft and a rod located parallelto the axis of the gear, said drive comprising the combination of :apinion slid-able on said rod into and out of mesh with the engine gear,a tubular member attached to the pinion and surrounding the rod, aspring within the member and adapted to exert a force between the memberand rod to demesh the pinion, means supported by the member at the endportion thereof remote from the pinion for transmitting a pinion-meshingforce yieldingly to the member, and means supported by the member fortransmitting motion from the elec- 7 tric motor to the pinion andincluding a gear meshing with the armature shaft gear.

10. An engine starter drive tor use with an electric motor having anamature shaft and a gear supported thereby and for use with an enginehaving a gear connected with its crank shaft and a rod located parallelto the axis of the gear, said drive comprising the combination of apinion slidable on said rod into and out of mesh with the engine gear, atubular member attached to the pinion and surrounding the rod, a springabutment part within the tubular member intermediate its ends, twospring retaining cups respectively located within the tubular member onopposite sides of the abutment part, said cups being normally Ilocatedrespectively adjacent the pinion and at the end of the tubular memberremote from the pinion, two helical springs located respectively betweenthe cups and the spring abutment, the pinion providing a retainer forthe cup adjacent thereto and said cup being adapted to engage the rod,means provided by the tubular member for retaining the other cup withinit, said other cup being adapted to receive the application of a forcewhich is transmitted through the associated spring to the tubular memberto mesh the pinion with the engine gear, the other spring being adaptedto apply a force between the rod and the member to demesh the pinion,and means supported by the member for transmitting motion from theelectric motor to the pinion and including a gear meshing with thearmature shaft gear.

l1. Engine starting apparatus comprising the combination of a housinghaving an opening, a plate attached to the housing and covering theopening, an electric motor supported by the plate and having an armatureshaft, a gear xed to the armature shaft, a rod within the housingparallel to the armature shaft, means slidably supported by the rod forconnecting the armature shaft gear with the engine to be started andincluding a pinion journaled on the rod, an overrunning clutchdriven-part attached to the pin` ion, an over-running clutchdriving-part surrounding the driven-part, an annular gear mounted on theperiphery of the driving-part and meshing with the armature shaft gear,a pinion shifting member extending from the drivenpart of the clutchthrough an opening in the plate to the exterior of the housing, a motorcontrol switch, and means for operating the member and the switch.

l2. Engine starting apparatus comprising the combination of a housinghaving an opening, a plate attached to the housing and covering theopening, an electric motor supported by the plate Iand having anarmature shaft, a gear xed to the armature shaft, a rod within thehousing parallel to the armature shaft, means slidably supported by therod for connecting the armature shaft gear with the engine to be startedand including a pinion journaled on the rod, an over- `running clutchcomprising a, driven-part attached 8 to the pinion and a cup-shapeddriving-part surrounding the driven-part and having a hub projectingfrom the face thereof, an annular gear secured to said hub and meshingwith the armature shaft gear, a pinion shifting member ex-v tending fromthe driven-part of the clutch through an opening in the plate to theexterior of the housing, a motor control switch, and means for operatingthe member and the switch.

13. Engine starting apparatus comprising a housing having an opening, aplate secured to the housing and covering said opening, a startlng motorsupported by the plate, said motor having an armature shaft carrying adriving gear, a gear positioned in the housing, said gear beingconnected with the engine and adapted to be operated by the startingmotor to start said engine, a rod in the housing parallel to thearmature shaft, means slidable on said rod for connecting the drivinggear with the engine gear including a gear engaging said driving gear, apinion movable into engagement with the engine gear and an overrunningclutch between said gear and pinion, a member extending through anopening in the supporting plate for shifting said slidable means toeiect engagement of the pinion and engine gear, a motor control switchand means for operating said member and said switch.

14. Engine starting apparatus comprising a housing having an opening, aplate secured to the housing and covering said opening, a starting motorsupported by the plate, said motor having an armature shaft carrying adriving gear, a gear positioned in the housing, said gear beingconnected with the engine and adapted to be operated by the startingmotor to start said engine, a rod in the housing parallel to thearmature shaft, means slidable on said rod for connecting the drivinggear with the engine gear including a gear engaging said driving gear, apinion movable into engagement with the engine gear and an overrunningclutch between said gear and pinion, a tubular member extending from thehub of the pinion through an opening in the supporting plate inalignment with the rod for shifting the pinion into engagement with theengine gear and providing a spring engaging abutment on its interior, aspring located between the rod and said abutment for disengaging thepinion from the engine gear, a motor control switchand means foroperating the member and the switch.

JULIUS H. BOLLES. JOHN E. ANTONIDIS. ROBERT M. CRITCHFIELD.

REFERENCES CITED The, following reference-s are of record in the UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,729,761- Chryst i oct. 1, 1929.2,311,944 Jackson Feb. 23, 1943

